Case of illegal exportation back in court

The defence lawyer for a local businessman accused of illegally exporting a drug used to make crystal meth is waiting for additional disclosure from the Crown as the case makes its way through the court system.

Robert King, 39, is facing three charges related to the drug ephedrine, a drug included in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act which is also used for weight loss.

The accused is charged with unlawful exportation from Canada of a substance, unlawful possession for the purpose of export from Canada, and unlawful attempt to export from Canada. All charges fall under the previously mentioned act.

King owns Heavyweights Fitness and Nutritional Products in St. John’s and Heavyweights Fitness Centre in Mount Pearl.

Crown prosecutor Brenda Boyd told Judge Pamela Goulding that additional disclosure is being electronically prepared and will likely be available to examine in the first week of November. She said further charges are not expected.

Boyd added that the Crown will proceed by indictment on all three charges. Goulding agreed to set over the matter until Nov. 20.

The RCMP’s St. John’s federal operations section was responsible for the investigation into King. Police seized 44 packages of ephedrine from Canada Post between April 2012 and November 2012.